This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
A vehicle typically includes a steering wheel that a driver can manipulate to steer the vehicle as desired. Many steering wheels include one or more switch assemblies for controlling one or more electrical accessory systems in the vehicle, such as a stereo, cruise control, and/or mobile communication systems, for example. Integrating these switch assemblies into the steering wheel allows the driver to control the accessory systems with minimal disruption to the safe operation of the vehicle.
Market pressures are urging steering wheel manufacturers to add more control switches to these switch assemblies while maintaining certain aesthetic and ergonomic features of the steering wheel. Accordingly, the switch assemblies are becoming larger in size while the space in which to package the switch assemblies may remain substantially unchanged. This can create fit and finish problems when desired aesthetic features are incorporated into the steering wheel design.